Blowing the Whistle on Workplace Misconduct - Ethics Resource ...

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Reporting also varies with <strong>the</strong> nature of <strong>the</strong> misconduct. For example, workers of both genders are far more likely to report stealing, abusive behavior, health violations, and product quality problems than “Internet abuse” or privacy violations. Only 41 percent of women and 35 percent of men say <strong>the</strong>y reported instances of lying to customers or <strong>the</strong> public, but about 45 percent of both genders reported lying to employees. Women are far more likely than men to report sexual harassment, but men are more likely to report co-workers who lie about hours worked or falsify <strong>the</strong>ir expense accounts. 5 Women Men PPt Differ. Overall reporting 66% 60% 6% Reported Sexual Harassment 64% 39% 26% Reported Substance Abuse 61% 47% 13% Reported Abusive Behavior 68% 56% 12% Reported Stealing 68% 58% 10% Reported Health Violations 64% 55% 9% Reported Alteration of Documents 54% 46% 8% Reported Customer Privacy Breach 45% 38% 6% Reported Lying to Customers, Vendors or <strong>the</strong> Public 41% 35% 5% Reported Employee Benefit Violations 59% 55% 4% Reported Improper Hiring Practices 39% 36% 2% Reported Conflict of Interests 54% 52% 2% Reported Company Resource Abuse 45% 44% 1% Reported Misuse of Confidential Information 50% 49% 1% Reported Lying to Employees 45% 44% 0% Reported Poor Product Quality 60% 60% 0% Reported Internet Abuse 37% 38% -1% Reported Employee Privacy Breach 42% 46% -4% Reported Discrimination 42% 47% -5% Reported Falsifying Time and/or Expense Reports 47% 52% -5% ___________________________________ 5. Ibid. pp. 3-4 Page 8 ©2010 Ethics Resource Center
The data also show that managers are significantly more likely than line employees to report every form of misconduct, and that senior management consistently reports wrongdoing more than any o<strong>the</strong>r group. The high rates for senior management suggest that those at <strong>the</strong> top of organizations generally have a greater appreciation of <strong>the</strong> importance of ethical conduct to <strong>the</strong> success of <strong>the</strong> enterprise. It also may reflect less worry about retaliation as individuals move up <strong>the</strong> organizational ladder. During 2009, 82 percent of top management said <strong>the</strong>y reported misconduct. That number has been relatively steady throughout <strong>the</strong> past decade, dipping below 80 percent only in 2005, a year in which all levels of workers and managers say <strong>the</strong>y were less diligent in reporting bad behavior. Almost seven in ten middle managers (69 percent) and two thirds of line supervisors also reported misconduct in 2009, compared to 55 percent of all nonmanagement personnel. Reporting by both middle-management and line supervisors was up significantly from 2007, but below peaks for <strong>the</strong> decade. In 2003, for example, 79 percent of middle managers who observed misconduct said <strong>the</strong>y reported it, as did 70 percent of line supervisors. Curiously, middle-managers are significantly less likely than first-line supervisors or top management to report misconduct in four of six specific areas surveyed, suggesting possible areas of vulnerability. Middle managers were less likely than line supervisors to report lying, Internet abuse, and abuse of company resources during 2009. 6 Reporting Rates Rise Along With Management Level 100% Percentage Who Reported Misconduct They Observed 80% 60% 40% 20% 80% 68% 57% 81% 79% 70% 77% 61% 48% 46% 83% 82% 69% 66% 66% 59% 55% 52% 0 2000 2003 2005 2007 2009 Top Management Middle Management n First Line Supervisor u Non-management ___________________________________ 6. Ibid. pp. 9-10 Page 9 ©2010 Ethics Resource Center
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